Monument For First Leader Of Ku Klux Klan Under Construction

In Selma, Alabama, a monument to the first leader of the Ku Klux Klan is under construction on public land.

The statue is of Confederate General Nathan Forrest who was the first Grand WIzard of the Klan. He best known for massacring black Union soldiers at the Civil War battle of Fort Pillow. A group called Friends of Forrest have even been giving the blessing of the Selma City Council to complete the monument. The group is planning to lay concrete for a new foundation, add a new bust of the KKK founder, enclose the monument in a wrought iron gate, and add night lighting.

Selma is home to some of the most important events of the Civil Rights Movement — including “Bloody Sunday,” when 600 activists fighting for African-American voting rights were attacked by state and local police.